“Psst, I’m TTG,” he shot back without hesitation.
“TTG?”
“Trained to go, baby. I knew it, a suburban girl,” he said, lifting a tray and uncovering the plates. Eggs, bacon, pancakes, fruit. He was halfway to serving her before his expression shifted, irritation flashing across his face.
“Something wrong?” she asked carefully.
“Nah. Eat.”
“Rolani, what’s wrong?”
“I specifically said no blueberries.” He jabbed a finger at the plate.
She tilted her head and said, “Here, give them to me.”
She slid her plate toward him, but he didn’t move. “It’s not about switching,” he muttered. “I’m allergic. Don’t even like them touching my plate. A closed throat ain’t how I want you to see me. Not when I got a hill to climb to make you my wife.”
Her hand stilled halfway across the table, eyes snapping to his. The smirk faded. That one line cracked through her defenses harder than anything he’d done the night before.
Before he could brush it off, Kennedi was already on her feet, grabbing the phone. Rolani leaned back in his chair, arms folded, watching her go to bat for him. She tore into the person on the other end, making it real clear somebody was gonna fix this shit immediately, or she’d be reporting them.
“…Yes, I said allergic. Do you understand how dangerous that could’ve been?… Exactly. I expect a replacement promptly for both orders, please. Thank you.”
She hung up and turned, one brow lifted, a tiny smirk curving her mouth. “Handled. You’ll have new food in a minute.”
He blinked at her, almost thrown. “I’m touched you did that for me. But it was cool.”
“I can’t be your girlfriend right now, but I can make sure you don’t die in my hotel suite. Luther’s would never.”
The sound that left him wasn’t just a laugh. It rumbled low, genuine, warm enough to shift the air between them. His eyes crinkled, his shoulders eased, and for the first time, she saw him without all the hard edges. He tapped his chest. “‘Preciate that. For real.” His chin jerked toward her plate. “What was wrong with yours?”
“Nothing,” she said, sliding back into her seat. “I just didn’t want to eat without you. By the time they remake it, mine would be cold anyway. So stop worrying.”
Her own words hit her harder than she meant them to. The look he gave her made it clear he’d heard what she hadn’t said out loud. It made her shift in her chair.
“I take it you like Luther’s? Noted.”
“I love Luther’s. What does noted mean?”
“It means I got it noted, woman. I fuck with Luther’s.”
She waved him off.
“Ken,” he said finally. “I ain’t tryna leash you. Ain’t tryna cage you in. That’s not what I’m about. I heard you on the one night but...”
Her stomach growled in betrayal, and his smirk cut wide, smug, lingering on her long enough to make her toes curl under the table. She wanted to argue, call him out for assuming too much, but the air between them grew heavy, pressing in. She rose and began stacking the dishes to keep busy.
She didn’t get far. Rolani grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his lap. His hand slid over her thigh, keeping her there. Her mind raced. Fight or flight, but instead she shifted just enough to meet his gorgeous eyes, no smirk this time. He allowed the silence to linger before speaking again, softer now.
“I enjoyed the fuck outta you last night,” he said against her ear, before placing a soft kiss that made her sigh in pleasure. “Every inch. Every second. Every moan.”
Kennedi swallowed, her pride burning, her body betraying her anyway. “Don’t start.”
“I already started,” he said, mouth brushing her temple.
His phone buzzed, breaking the moment. She turned her head, thankful for the interruption.
“Woo, what’s good?”
